Borrowing a phrase from the movie Princess Bride,
"Let me explain...oh there is too much, let me sum up"
I'll go ahead and post a "sum up" of our last few wild and wonderful weeks,
with more details to follow as we continue to
establish a more normal life here in Roseville, California.
This is a picture of a sunset when literally the sunset on our year in Yucaipa.
Long story, short...moving turned out to be more stressful and wild than planned.
Our planned movers showed up in a truck that was too small asking for more money that was too much, and we canceled with them the day of our move!
Miraculously, we were able to find a company to take our move on the following day, and Rob spent almost 24 hours strait packing our stuff in boxes with the new movers while the kids and I were at Big Bear Lake at the cabin we had rented.
It was the evening of Rob's birthday that he finished packing up our stuff and met us up at Big Bear.
We had a P.F. Changs take home dinner ready, chocolate cake, and gifts for our exhausted Daddy.
At Big Bear we rented a boat twice and rode around the lake, once for Rob's birthday and once with our friends the Bacigalupi's who came up to join us for some fun one night. It was our kids first time out on a power boat, and they loved it! We loved hearing their happy squeals.
We spent a week up at the cabin at Big Bear, and we played pool, read books,
watched movies, hiked,
enjoyed Brenna baby,
had a morning fire,
played with sticks and rocks,
made Brenna giggle on the tire swing,
and Trevor got a "Trevor Truth" puppet at church.
After Big Bear, we headed to Anaheim for a few days of
DISNEYLAND!
We got to watch the 'World of Color' show on the front row!
On Saturday we went up to the Griffeth Observatory in Hollywood and drove down Hollywood Boulevard.
Then we checked into the Disney condo we would be staying in for the next 5 days.
Brenna was a trooper! Every time she woke up she was in a different place!
We swam at the condo in their fabulous pools.
Disneyland was a blast!
We screamed,
laughed,
sang songs over and over,
saw it decked out for Halloween,
ate ice-cream on the pier,
Found the buried treasure on the island,
got soaked on Splash Mountain,
and Visited Radiator Springs.
The kids still talk about it all the time, and can't wait to go again.
Then we drove home to a City we'd never lived in.
We couldn't close on our house for a week so we got to stay in a hotel for eight nights. Our hotel adventures included lots of TV watching,
starting school at Sierra Elementary (not Sterling...although he'd like to!),
Rob starting work at his new job,
Brenna turning 4 months old,
and getting moved to the first floor because of daily complaints that we were too loud.
What can you do with five kids cooped up for that long??
Then we finally, after 3 weeks transition time,
moved into our new house!!
We love it!!
First, we camped out on the floor in an empty house.
Then, we filled it with boxes...
This picture is on our first Sunday in our new house. We should have taken it before church instead of after when everyone was tired. ;)
All the kids were so excited to get their stuff, especially Sterling.
Then we did projects, bought some stuff on craigslist including Sterling and Trevor's car beds and Brenna's new crib, and made box tunnels.
Then the kids turned into Sierra Sharks and ran in a Jog-a-thon at school.
We are grateful that they are happy and adjusting well to their new school and ward!
And, we settled in a bit...
Then, my wonderful Mom and Dad, and sister Angie and her daughter, Marissa, came to help us unpack and do projects!
Ellie and Marissa had a blast being girly and playing while we worked.
We loved watching the historic General Conference on Rob's phone plugged into speakers! We didn't have our internet service set up yet. :)
Okay, so in just a day and a half we cleaned out and organized the the whole garage, put coat hangers up in the laundry room, did a handful of handyman jobs including moving a cabinet in the garage to make room for the new 2nd fridge, built two book shelves and a dresser, and Angified my pantry!
It was the biggest boost ever!
They even had time to enjoy the grandkids.
They were our 'DREAM TEAM!'
Thanks for the help, advice and memories!
We sent them home exhausted.
That's a quick summary of the beginnings of our life here in northern California! (phew!)
